'Excruciating' day for Irish American girl who received lung transplant after legal battle

Sarah Murnaghan, the 10-year-old Irish American girl who recently received an adult lung transplant after a legal battle, is reportedly having a hard time adjusting to her new lungs.

CNN reports that on Wednesday June 26, little Murnaghan struggled after a breathing tube was removed.

"It's been an excruciating day. We extubated Sarah and her body could not handle the reduced support," Janet Ruddock Murnaghan said in a statement issued by a representative. "It was impossibly painful watching her struggle to breathe and panic.”

"I have cried quite a bit, I just wish everything wasn't so ridiculously hard for her," the mother said.

Despite Sarah’s present struggle, doctors appear to be optimistic for her in the long run. “This does not change her long-term outcome but just means she needs more time to regain her strength," the mother said. "One day Sarah will take that first glorious breath and we will celebrate!"

10-year-old Sarah Murnaghan was born with Cystic Fibrosis. While her parents knew that a medical battle would be in the future for their daughter, they didn’t expect it so early in life.

At only 10 years old, Murnaghan did not make the cutoff of 12 years old to be included on the adult registry for lung donations, despite being among the most severely ill of all children and adults. A legal battle ensued, and Murnaghan eventually won a court order to be placed on the adult waiting list, and received her desperately needed lungs shortly there after.

Prior to her June 12 six-hour surgery, Sarah was placed in a medically-induced coma to allow her body to rest. She was awakened from the coma over the weekend, but still remains on a ventilator. Sarah cannot speak, but can nod her head and answer questions.